$78,755

1,730

Thank you so, so much for your support!

The qlipter is the first-ever clip with a rotating hook so that it can can hold your stuff anywhere, any time. At first, it looks like a snazzy carabiner, but wait... there's also an arm that unfolds and rotates into a hook that can hang anywhere and can rest on any surface (the round rubber piece at the end of the arm adds grip). The clip itself has a tapered nose so that it can fit into narrow openings (yes, sometimes, a narrow opening is your only option, like in a public bathroom or in the great outdoors).

I came up with the general idea for the qlipter a few years ago, in 2011. That was the year I challenged myself to summit Mt. Rainier, which stands 14,410 ft above sea level and is both an active volcano and the most glaciated peak in the contiguous U.S.A. I have always been an active and outdoorsy person, but I have to admit, I had never done anything remotely close to Rainier before. That wasn't going to deter me, though, and I started training. As I climbed mountain after mountain with increasing weight loads in my backpack, through rain and slush and mud (if you know the Seattle area, you know what I mean), I returned home after every session not only with a weary body, but also a backpack soaking at the bottom with mud and nastiness from the times I set it down to take a break or eat my lunch. I wished there was some easy way to hang the backpack on a tree - I tried Macgyvering together a way to hang up my backpack to a tree, but it wasn't worth the effort. I kept trudging on, with my muddy, wet backpack bouncing on my body.

It just so happens that my decision to climb Rainier came about four months after giving birth to my first child. Besides training and working, I was a first-time mom and quickly realizing that having a kid is hard work! Going out (which my husband and I love to do) was especially a challenge with a kid. All the diapers, bottles, binkies, blankies, extra clothes, wipies, toys, and books! The worst, though, was trying to change our son's diaper in a public restroom. As if it wasn't hard enough trying to keep an XL-sized, squirmy baby from rolling off the hard plastic table, there was never any place to hang my diaper bag to keep the content conveniently within reach (a third arm would have been great, but it wasn't very feasible, and there was no way I was going to set my bag down on the floor of a public bathroom).

The qlipter is the culmination of my desire to make my life in the outdoors and my life as a parent easier and more enjoyable. I found an experienced product designer to help me turn the designs in my little notebook into an actual product that is even more versatile and functional than I had originally envisioned. My designer, Grant Lindberg, is an accomplished industrial designer and entrepreneur with a passion for developing and producing user-friendly and innovative products. With a history in the design of sporting goods (extreme sports and outdoor products), Grant has expanded his design range to include the luggage, home, pet and children’s product categories. He has been working tirelessly with me for the past year and a half to develop a product that matches and even exceeds the vision I had.

I am ready for the qlipter to change how I go out, whether it is to the many mountains in Washington or to a restaurant with my kids or to a store downtown. I know I am not the only one who could use this help. With 1000 pledges, we can make this happen!

We have a selection of beautiful colors for you!

When our campaign ends, you will have the opportunity to select your qlipter reward(s) from the color options below.

We worked with package and graphic designers to create attractive and informative packaging. In these packages, the qlipters make great gifts!

We spent a great deal of time figuring out the ideal size and capacity of the qlipter. It had to have a hook that was wide enough to be as versatile as we wanted it to be, and it also had to be fully functional as a non-climbing carabiner whether the hook was closed or open. After many trials and errors, we have a product that has all the features we want, weighs only 2 ounces and can hold a recommended maximum weight of 50 pounds.

See how far the qlipter has come!

We have selected a highly experienced factory. We have a fulfillment plan. All we need now is your support to start production!

Risks and challenges

I have been researching for this product for almost two years and designing and prototyping for the past year. We have had three sets of prototypes and three sets of samples, and we are confident in our design and the quality of our materials and production. We have decided to use a highly regarded factory in China with a great track record so that we can ensure high quality at a reasonable cost.

Despite our careful selection of our factory, however, our biggest potential challenge will still be in manufacturing. Whenever you outsource production, you run risks from possible miscommunication and reduced opportunities for first-hand quality control. I have tried to mitigate this by doing several things: 1. My designer Grant will manage the production process and act as the liaison to the factory. He has a great deal of experience working with factories overseas for his own products and his clients'. He is also able to speak the same technical/engineering language as those running the factory and has the same high standards as I do in delivering quality products in a timely manner. 2. We have already received three sets of samples from our factory. Our experiences so far have shown that they are responsive to our feedback, produce high quality products in the time they have promised and are interested in building a long-term, mutually beneficial relationship with us. 3. Grant will make a site visit to the factory once we begin production to re-confirm our impression of their high quality.

Another potential challenge is reward fulfillment. We are currently looking into using Amazon fulfillment services to ensure that our backers receive their rewards in an expeditious manner.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $17 or more
About $17

EARLY BIRD. To thank our first supporters, we are offering a special price. Get 1 qlipter in your preferred color. You will be asked for your color selection in a survey after the end of our campaign. Free shipping in U.S.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $35 or more
About $35

DUO - 2 qlipters in different colors. For jobs when just one won't do (such as hanging a diaper bag off of a changing table). Color selection through a survey after the end of our campaign. Free shipping in the U.S.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $65 or more
About $65

FANTASTIC FOUR - 4 qlipters in different colors. One for your backpack, one for the car, one for the garage, one for the stroller. Color selection through a survey after the end of our campaign. Free shipping in the U.S.